The UAE has inked two trade agreements as part of its push to lock in favorable terms across Asia and Africa, deepening economic ties with Nigeria and the Philippines on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

Machinery, EVs, chemicals, and more targeted in Nigeria’s pact

The UAE and Nigeria have signed a trade and economic partnership agreement — also known as a CEPA — aimed at accelerating trade and investment flows, with a focus on technology, energy, agriculture, and precious metals. The agreement will cut tariffs, remove trade barriers, and expand private and public-sector cooperation.

The relationship is already sizable: Bilateral non-oil trade reached USD 4.3 bn in 2024, up 55.3% compared to the year before, and hit USD 3.1 bn in 9M 2025, underscoring Nigeria’s growing weight in Abu Dhabi’s Africa-focused trade strategy.

The products in focus: The agreement is set to immediately wipe out tariffs for 7k Nigerian products, including chemicals, pharma products, and cotton, while machinery, electrics, and vehicles will be able to be imported without a levy within five years, according to Nigerian news agency Nan.

Ease of doing business: Execs hailing from Nigeria can stay in the UAE for renewable three-year periods, and nationals on business can stay for as many as 90 days per year.

Philippines’ exports to UAE could rise 9% following trade pact

The UAE has also signed a trade and economic partnership agreement with the Philippines, targeting cooperation in electrical equipment, financial services, agriculture, and precious metals, while easing tariff and non-tariff barriers.

What’s in it for the UAE? The pact is set to lift UAE GDP by USD 2.4 bn by 2032, with bilateral trade already nearing USD 1.8 bn in 2024, according to the Philippine Information Agency. Preliminary estimates suggest the agreement could boost Philippine exports to the UAE by 9.1% — as the UAE ranks 18th among the archipelago’s trading partners and absorbs around 39% of its Middle East-bound exports.

Bigger picture

The twin agreements feed into Abu Dhabi’s CEPA program, which targets USD 1.1 tn in non-oil foreign trade by 2031, with Asia and Africa firmly in focus. As we’ve previously reported, the UAE has already inked trade pacts with the likes of India, Malaysia, Angola, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Turkey, with agreements with South Korea and Thailand nearing the finish line.

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